Chris Christie: I Will Not Stoke Ebola 'Hysteria'

During a Wednesday discussion of state preparedness procedures, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said his administration will not contribute to "stoking hysteria" about the threat of Ebola.

Story continues below video.

"We are not going to be in the business of stoking hysteria in the public," said Christie in one of the several clips the potential presidential candidate tweeted.

He added that it is not "what is expected from people in leadership."

His comments came as he announced the state would be activating an Ebola preparedness plan to direct all activities of state departments, hospitals and the medical community.

"My first and primary mission as Governor always is to protect the public health and safety of every resident of our state. Ebola also presents the challenge of defeating overreaction and fear in the public, and we can do that by creating a coordinated response and using a team of individuals already highly tested and experienced in dealing with public emergencies in our state. This should reassure the public that we are doing all in our power to protect against the arrival or spread of Ebola in New Jersey," Christie said in a press release.

Christie's signing of the executive order to create the Ebola Virus Disease and Response Team came the same day he announced that a passenger who arrived Tuesday night from West Africa was taken to the hospital.

Today, Christie appeared at a press conference at Hackensack University Medical Center to announce that the passenger and his wife will likely be released from the hospital after meeting with officials from the Centers for Disease Control, NJ.com reported.

As a potential Republican presidential candidate, Christie's tweets were also seen as having a political motive.

The Washington Post inferred they were another shot at a potential 2016 rival — Sen. Rand Paul.

The paper noted Paul recently told a radio station that Ebola is "an incredibly contagious disease" and "people in full gloves and gowns are getting it. So really [the White House] needs to be honest this is a very transmissible disease."